Intercepting Love (Second Chances #5)(16)

“Well, there she is,” Luke announced, passing me a glass of white wine. “I went ahead and ordered your favorite.”

Smiling, I took it from him and gulped it down, earning a wide-eyed stare from both he and Grayson; I needed more to get me through the mess I was about walk into. “Thank you,” I gasped. Grayson took my glass and filled it up with another round. I held it up and tapped it against Luke’s beer. “Thank you, again.”

Chuckling, Luke sat down and pulled out a bar stool for me to sit in. “Hard day?”

Downing the other glass of wine, I nodded and pushed the chair back in. “No, but it’s about to be. Come with me. I have a table in the back.”

Grayson took my glass and chuckled. “Have a nice evening you two. Don’t get into trouble back there.”

Luke’s devilish grin grew even wider. “You reserved the back room for us? I must be special to get that kind of treatment.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say that,” I mumbled, hating that I was about to ruin the night.

With a hand on his arm, I stopped him and pulled him to a vacant corner. “Actually, we’re not going to be alone back there,” I remarked as fast as I could. “When you called I had plans to come here with someone else.”

There, I said it.

“I thought you said you were meeting Lara. Who are you here with?” he asked, furrowing his brows.

Sheepishly, I squeezed my eyes shut and groaned. “Cooper Davis,” I answered.

And just as I expected … he snapped. “You’re kidding me, right? Why the hell would you be here with him?”

“Lara wanted me to bring him, and since we rode together to practice …”

Eyes wide, Luke’s mouth dropped open. “You rode with him to practice, too? What the f*ck, Kate? I thought you didn’t like the guy. I seem to remember the other day you said you couldn’t believe your team actually wanted him, and now you’re spending time with him. Please tell me you’re not falling for the guy.”

“Look,” I snapped impatiently, “I’m going to tell you exactly what I told him. You’re my friend, Luke, and believe it or not so is Cooper. I’m still going on our date Saturday and we’re going to have fun. He knows that I’m going out with you and that’s all that matters, but right now I’m getting ready to eat dinner with him. You’re more than welcome to join us.”

Groaning, he hung his head and blew out a frustrated breath. “All right, I’ll join you. At least he won’t make any moves on you while I’m there.”

I wouldn’t put it past him.

My head started to feel fuzzy and it felt like I was moving in slow motion. It was probably stupid to drink two glasses of wine on an empty stomach; however, it felt good … relaxing. Everything I’d been stressing about, such as Scott’s death, was finally slipping away.

Luke lifted his head when I stated, “You don’t have to worry about him making the moves on me, Luke. He said he wouldn’t touch me unless I asked him to. I think we’re both safe.”

Placing his hands against the wall, Luke trapped me in and murmured in my ear, “Hmm … he’s better than I thought. You know he’s just playing games with you, right?”

“Everyone plays games in their own way, Luke. Even you do, but it’s not going to change anything,” I told him.

“Good,” he murmured huskily. “Although, I’d have to say that’s where me and him differ.” He trailed his finger down my cheek and past my neck to my collarbone. “I’d be afraid you would never ask me. That’s why I have to take what I want until you tell me no.”

Backing up to give me space, he smiled and took my hand in his. His skin was warm and rough, most likely from riding hard all day in motocross training. “Okay, let’s get this dinner going. The sooner it gets started, the sooner it can be over.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.





“So tell me how you know about me? Who do we know in common?” I asked. Leaning on her chin, Lara smiled and looked down at the menu. “Well, from what I hear you’re probably not going to be happy with one of the friends we have in common, but at least all I’ve heard about you is good things.”

My uncle lived in Charlotte, but I knew she couldn’t be talking about him. Other than that there was only one person I knew, and it was the one person I loathed more than any other. He was the same person that took the only girl I’d ever loved away from me.

“You can’t be serious,” I said, curling my lip incredulously. “There’s only one person I know from around here, and you’re telling me that after I packed my shit up and left California I still can’t escape from him?”

“Kind of,” she answered sheepishly. “I know Claire chose him, but don’t you think it was for the best? I mean, now you have Kate.”

“I don’t have her,” I grumbled. “And I’m not the only one who wants her.”

“Yeah, but you’re the one she needs.”

That got my attention. For a long time, I thought Claire needed me, but she didn’t. We were independent from one another, but we always found our way back to the other. I couldn’t see Kate being like that. With her, I wouldn’t want to go my separate ways all of the time. I would want her to depend on me. Claire didn’t want me to fight for her because it would’ve been a losing battle. Kate, on the other hand, needed to know I wouldn’t go down without a fight.